GREEN AND GROWING. June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

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1 GREEN AND GROWING June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

Caledon is a scenic near-urban town located in the Greater (GTA) known for its abundance of protected green space, tantal delights and growing local economy.

2 Caledon is a scenic near-urban town located in the Greater (GTA) known for its abundance of protected green space, tantal delights and growing local economy. At nearly 690 square kilome accounts for more than half of the Region of Peel s total land cov home to over 75,000 highly-engaged citizens who are committed the world-class lifestyle that makes the town so special. Business World Magazine June - July 2016

3 Toronto Area izing culinary ters, Caledon erage, and is to preserving GREEN AND GROWING June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

If you want to raise a family, or if you simply want to get fair enough away from the rat race to live in peace and tranquility without straying too far from the city, then Caledon is the place for

4 If you want to raise a family, or if you simply want to get fair enough away from the rat race to live in peace and tranquility without straying too far from the city, then Caledon is the place for you, says Mayor Allan Thompson. There are many reasons to love living in Caledon. To start, it offers the perfect blend of urban and country living, Roughly 80 per cent of the town s land area consists of breathtaking greenery that s protected under the Government of Ontario s Greenbelt Act, ensuring that Caledon will forever remain one of the province s environmental treasures. Large sections of both the Niagara Escarpment and the Oak Ridges Moraine two ecologicallyvital geological landforms in southern Ontario cross through that protected green space, which helped Caledon secure the Greenest Town in Ontario award in The 20 per cent of Caledon that isn t protected green space has been deemed by the town council as its future growth area. Much of that growth is projected to take place in the town s major urban centre, Bolton, as well as its newest residential community, Mayfield West. How big is that 20 per cent? You can put the entire City of Brampton s population as it is Business World Magazine June - July 2016

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today in that area, so we have huge potential in helped the town host its portion of the 2015 terms of growth, explains Mayor Thompson.

The A DESTINATION AREA town as a whole is extremely safe, having been Caledon isn t just a great place to live, but named Canada s safest city on

In particular, the sions, and offers a first-rate schooling system town is a hot spot for equine activity, featur- that excels both academically and

The Caledon community that goes above and beyond to Equestrian Park continues to be a popular keep the town clean and safe.

6 today in that area, so we have huge potential in helped the town host its portion of the 2015 terms of growth, explains Mayor Thompson. Pan American Games. Known as the Whitebelt, that future growth area is the perfect place to start a family. The A DESTINATION AREA town as a whole is extremely safe, having been Caledon isn t just a great place to live, but named Canada s safest city on multiple occa- a great place to visit as well. In particular, the sions, and offers a first-rate schooling system town is a hot spot for equine activity, featur- that excels both academically and athletically. ing a world-class facility that hosted 23 events Caledon is also home to a very tight-knit in last year s Pan Am Games. The Caledon community that goes above and beyond to Equestrian Park continues to be a popular keep the town clean and safe. Mayor Thomp- venue today, with 41 events booked following son indicates that Caledon s auxiliary offi- the conclusion of the Games, and many more cers logged over 5,800 hours of service last to come. year, while a whopping 4,700 or so volunteers It s our crown jewel, says Sandra Dolson, Business World Magazine June - July 2016

Economic Development Coordinator for the Town of Caledon, and that s why the bookings are still flying in even after the Pan Am Games have finished.

Following Caledon s transition from rural agriculture to near-urban agriculture in recent years, the town now features a variety of high-quality farmers markets and top-end supermarkets that showcase

Plus, Caledon is home to several gourmet restaurants that are second to none in the province. We have some of the finest restaurants and the finest chefs here, says Mayor Thompson.

7 Economic Development Coordinator for the Town of Caledon, and that s why the bookings are still flying in even after the Pan Am Games have finished. The town is also one of the top agritourism destinations in Ontario. Following Caledon s transition from rural agriculture to near-urban agriculture in recent years, the town now features a variety of high-quality farmers markets and top-end supermarkets that showcase the area s fresh fruits and vegetables, award-winning ciders and fruit wines, locally-sourced meats, and more. Plus, Caledon is home to several gourmet restaurants that are second to none in the province. We have some of the finest restaurants and the finest chefs here, says Mayor Thompson. You don t have to go to Toronto for a good meal; we have so many good restaurants from one side of Caledon to the other. Even more, Caledon is a great destination for active tourism. Nature enthusiasts can hike along one of the town s many trail networks to take in the stunning views of the vast greenery, while golf aficionados can play 18 holes at one of several beautiful golf courses. Caledon will also be hosting the upcoming Le Tour de Terra EXCAVATION DEMOLITION ROAD MAINTAINANCE FORMING SITE SERVICES DISPOSAL ENVIRONMENTAL SITE REMEDIATION GRADING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT The Rafat Group of Companies has been in business since We service the Greater Toronto Area and our conglomerate of companies have been assembled with the goal of fulfilling all of your general contracting needs. Experienced, professional and courteous, we aim to deliver a high quality service to our existing and new clients. Our reputation speaks for itself. RAFAT Group of Companies 8850 George Bolton Parkway Bolton ON L7E 2Y4 (905) June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

8 Cotta cycling event, which will feature cyclists from across North America. That s not the only major event coming to Caledon, however. Every Father s Day weekend in June, the town celebrates Caledon Day, a community day festival that drew over 15,000 attendees last year many from out of town who came to experience the local talent and goods the town has to offer. The town is also home to the nationallyacclaimed Alton Mills Art Centre, the upscale Hampton Inn in Bolton which is always booked solid, and the Brampton-Caledon Airport, the country s busiest uncontrolled airport by volume of flights which also houses one of the largest private flight schools in Canada. Caledon is a destination area, says Dolson. And while we are on the cusp of being a truly cosmopolitan destination for business investment, we re never going to lose the rural and agricultural components that make us so special. That includes the agritourism aspects that come with that we have huge opportunities that way. The cliché live, work and play is overused, but we really do have all of that here in Caledon, she adds. Business World Magazine June - July 2016

9 ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET The Town of Caledon is putting a forwardthinking action plan in place to foster economic growth within its borders. At the moment, approximately 20 per cent of its tax base comes from employment, and Mayor Thompson says they want to more than double that number in order to provide long-term security for future generations. Caledon already enjoys a strong manufacturing sector, particularly in terms of food and technology production. Case in point, Bolton is home to a one of the leading satellite infrastructure manufacturers in North America proof of Caledon s intelligent local workforce, says Mayor Thompson. The town is also well-known for its concrete manufacturers, who have access to over 1,000 years of aggregate within the hills of Caledon. In fact, all of the concrete that was used to build the CN Tower, the third tallest tower in the world, came from Caledon. Moreover, the town is home to several corporate offices of larger companies like Mars Canada, Dupont, Husky Injection Molding Systems, as well as Canadian Tire. This provides June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

10 a diverse range of work opportunities for the local labor force. Mars Canada is actually currently in the process of expanding their facilities to accommodate the growing operations of their major subsidiaries, Pedigree, Whiskas and Uncle Ben s. Additionally, Caledon features a flourishing industrial sector that is on the verge of booming. This is particularly evident in Mayfield West, where Acklands-Grainger recently opened a distribution centre and Prologis is in the midst of building the Prologis Caledon Park 410 DC, which is projected to yield approximately 1.7 million square feet of industrial space. Businesses like Prologis and Acklands- Grainger are choosing Caledon because of its accessibility. The town is on the cusp of both the Canadian National and the Canadian Pacific railways and is directly connected to the 400-series highways, arguably the most vital highway network in Canada. The province is also currently conducting feasibility studies on another potential provincial highway that would link Caledon to several other towns and cities in Ontario. Furthermore, the Town of Caledon is rolling out the red carpet and rolling up the red Business World Magazine June - July 2016

tape for prospective businesses that meet band internet network of at least ten gigabytes their criteria. This streamlined process has before making any commitments.

11 tape for prospective businesses that meet band internet network of at least ten gigabytes their criteria. This streamlined process has before making any commitments. As such, the helped attract companies like Ace Hardware Town of Caledon is taking part in the South and Princess Auto in recent years. Western Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) We re enabling business attraction and re- Project to help deliver that network, and has tention by removing the hurdles from the track already implemented the necessary taxes to to let businesses run as fast as they can, says provide their share of the funding. Mayor Thompson. Caledon s reputation as one of the premier places in Ontario to do business is catch- According to Dolson, that network is vital to achieving the growth goals the town has in place. ing the eye of suitors from overseas. Mayor Connectivity will be the glue that brings all Thompson reveals that delegates from China the pieces that we re working on together, she are considering Caledon for their future plans, explains. We re taking a global look at how to but would need access to a high speed broad- build this municipality. It s a very exciting time June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

for Caledon. However, the proposed high speed network wouldn t just benefit future investors, as every business, institution and citizen in Caledon would also have access to the network.

12 for Caledon. However, the proposed high speed network wouldn t just benefit future investors, as every business, institution and citizen in Caledon would also have access to the network. Mayor Thompson says that staying ahead of the technological curve will help several of Caledon s local businesses thrive particularly within the agricultural industry, which is becoming increasingly automated. It would also increase the viability of working remotely from Caledon and help keep up with the continued digitization of the education system. My goal is to have Caledon wired as an intelligent municipality within ten years, from one end to the other, he affirms. If we want our businesses to thrive, if we want to keep businesses here, we need to be able to offer that degree of connectivity to them. A BRIGHT FUTURE The Town of Caledon s forward-thinking doesn t just apply to economics, as environmental sustainability is also a major priority for the growing community. Caledon is one of the provincial leaders in best agricultural practices such as soil restoration and erosion control, and the town has the necessary infrastructure Business World Magazine June - July 2016

Caledon has also received a number of accolades for its dedication to energy efficiency.

13 in place to handle any flooding that may take place near the river systems that many of the villages and hamlets are adjacent to. In addition, Caledon is committed to making all new residential communities within the municipality treed communities, and has an extensive tree-planting program in place to help achieve that goal. Caledon has also received a number of accolades for its dedication to energy efficiency. The town has partnered with several groups to set up solar panels throughout the municipality, and is one of North America s leaders in creating living snow fences that help reduce heating costs during the winter. Caledon has even made the switch to LED lighting for added efficiency and is offering rebates to developers who produce Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified buildings. As we grow in size, our energy consumption levels are actually dropping, Mayor Thompson says. Much of Caledon s success in that domain can be credited to the town s dedicated Energy and Environment Staff department, which the town is very proud of. While the team consists of only three members, most munici- June - July 2016 Business World Magazine

14 palities the size of Caledon don t even have a dedicated team in place. The Town of Caledon is doing its part to help attract the right developers by favorably Moving forward, the Town of Caledon is ex- rezoning lands and putting the infrastructure cited to continue developing the Whitebelt to in place to make land acquisition more ap- excel not only residentially, commercially and pealing. At the moment, Caledon has three educationally, but environmentally as well. The properties that are shovel-ready for suitable town council is also planning on establishing partners. The town is also engaging in com- industrial villages such as a freight truck- munity consultation for a new recreation cen- ing community which would be strategically tre in Mayfield West and is looking to provide dispersed throughout Caledon to negate the a new hospital and greater post-secondary op- inconvenience of industrial activity for other portunities for residents in the near future. residents. So there s a lot of creative planning hap- We re putting an 80-year plan in place to pening on our end, but every step of the way ensure that all future developments coincide our 75,000 citizens have an opportunity to with our vision, explains Mayor Thompson. have their say, be engaged, and take a role in That way when developers come to town, what their future is going to look like, Mayor they won t just be building what they want, but Thompson concludes. rather what s best for the community. Business World Magazine June - July 2016

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Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport 2017 Year in Review

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